I Can't Unlove You
by SohmaElric91
Summary: Set in a New York City, college-based AU, Lauren Zizes and her roommate Rebecca are unpacking Lauren's boxes in their new apartment when Rebecca finds something from Lauren's past, causing Lauren to open up to her best friend about a secret she kept hidden for the last 3 years. TW: Mentions of Domestic Abuse.


**Characters:** Lauren Zizes, Rebecca Johnson (OC), mentions of: Christopher Kramer (OC)

**Time Frame**: May 17, 2013 with a flashback to Superbowl 2011; Noon

**Location**: Rebecca and Lauren's apartment

**Warning**(**s**): brief mention of domestic abuse

_Rebecca finds something unexpected while helping Lauren unpack._

_A/N: This story was original a one-shot self-para written and posted as part of Lauren Zizes ( .com)'s past for the roleplay's self-para prompt #5: treasure objects. I do not own Lauren Zizes, nor is this story affiliated with Glee. This story is non-profit and written purely for the sake of writing._

* * *

Lauren sighed as she shifted through another tote of her things, annoyed by how much of a process moving into an apartment was. "I don't even remember having this much shit." She complained, carding a hand through her hair as she glanced at Rebecca. "Anything important in that tote?"

Rebecca looked up from where she was sifting through some things and shook her head. "Nah. Looks like a lot of school book and stuff, Laur. And this isn't even all your shit, you still have things at your folks place."

"Ugh, don't remind me." Lauren groaned, grabbing a few miscellaneous items out of the tote in front of her. "I'll have to go up there at some point and grab the rest of it. Then they can party all they want 'cause I'll be out of their damn lives."

"Someone sounds bitter~" Rebecca teased, ducking her head as Lauren tossed a hair brush her way. "You know I kid, Laur. Not come on, you gotta tell me what out of this shit you want to—" The brunette stopped short as her nimble fingers wrapped around a red velvet box, withdrawing it from the plastic tote before her. "What's this?"

Lauren looked over, her eyes practically bugging out of her head as she lunged toward her best friend. "Give me that!"

The older woman barely had time to react before the box was ripped from her grasp and hidden from view. "What the hell, Lauren?"

"It's none of your business what that is, _Becca_." She seethed, her focus returning to the tote before her. "It's something from a while ago that I just keep around."

"Lauren…" Rebecca's brows furrowed, "You don't keep anything around just for the sake of keeping it around. It either has to amuse you or mean something to you. So come on, spill, what is it?"

Lauren glared at her best friend, annoyed that in the year since they had met this woman already knew her so well. "What the fuck do you think it is?"

"It looked like a ring box."

"No shit, Sherlock." Lauren rifled through the tote in front of her, no longer looking at Rebecca. "And lemme guess, next you'll say it contains a ring, right? 'Cause that's fucking obvious too."

Rebecca stared at her best friend, used to outbursts such as these from the larger woman. "Why do you have a ring, Lauren?" Her tone was non-judgmental and purely curious.

Lauren didn't hear Rebecca, her mind focused on the ring and the answer to the very question that her best friend was asking.

_Lauren should have known that Chris would never do something nice without wanting something in return. Tickets to the Superbowl were pricy, especially the seats Chris had managed to get for them. She tried hard to focus on the game before her and not wondering what the man beside her wanted. Was this another ploy to lead her into a false sense of security before he knocked her senseless again?_

_The celebration party at a local sports bar was fantastic. The alcohol racing through her system as Chris handed her drink after drink made Lauren forget their past and focus on the moment they were in. She didn't even care as he pulled her into the middle of the crowd, an open beer in her hand as she watched him with curious eyes._

_"Chris?"_

_His smile, for once a genuine loving smile instead of the manipulative 'you're about to get it' smile, melted Lauren's heart. She would never admit it, but apart from all the physical violence, she had a strong feeling that Chris might actually be the guy she could settle down with. If only he would stop…_

_"Lauren, I love you." He lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to it before looking at her intently. "Being here with you today, damn it's the most fun we've had in a while. You're my perfect woman, Lauren. I want you. I want you forever. I want you to be mine and mine alone." He loved the sound of her startled gasp as he dropped to one knee and pulled out a red velvet box, the smile never leaving his face. "So whaddya say, Miss Zizes. Let's repeat these last three years until we die?"_

_The brunette stared at him in complete shock, unable to comprehend that Chris was proposing. Even through the alcohol-induced haze her brain was screaming at her to tell his ass no, to dump him and be done with his abusive ways. Her heart, however, worked to remind her of how she felt about him, how she had loved this dorky, sometimes controlling, guy for the better part of three years. How today alone he made her feel happier than anyone ever had.._

"Lauren?" Rebecca reached over to touch her shoulder, "Lauren, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Lauren responded, her voice coming out hoarser than she had meant. In that moment she realized why Rebecca had asked as she felt warm drops of water sliding down her cheeks. "Fuck."

"You were engaged, weren't you?" Rebecca didn't know how to leave well enough alone.

"Yeah." Lauren sighed, wiping away the tears in annoyance. "To an abusive asshole who is serving jail time for killing a guy. It's done, it's over with."

The other woman's brows pulled together again in confusion. "So why keep the ring if he treated you like that?"

"'Cause." Lauren replied, her tone sounding oddly happy, "It's the best thing anyone ever gave me on the best day of my damn life. And as much as I regret being with him and hope his ass rots in jail for the rest of his life, this is just one of those things I can't seem to let go of..."


End file.
